Box construction



Jan. 9, 1962 Q J oc s 3,016,178

BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 19, 1960 INVENTOR CHARLES J. KNOCKS,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,016,178 Patented Jan. 9, 1962 Ofilice 1 3,016,178 BOX CONSTRUCTION I Charles J. Knocks, 6965 Nor-mandala Drive,

St. Louis, Mo. I Filed Feb. 19, 1%0, Ser. No. 9,958 1 Claim. (Cl. 2298) This invention relates to gift boxes or containers, such as Valentines Day boxes, which are intended to contain candy or other comestibles or flowers, although it is not thereby limited, and may be applied to any box which must be made airtight.

Previously these boxes have been universally made of cardboard, cut and shaped by machine processes. However previously there has been no simple method of making a good seal at the edges where the tops or bottoms of such boxes were joined to the sides.

The principal object of this invention is to make a gift box whose sides are entirely constructed of plastic and which sides form a tight seal with the top or bottom of the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple construction which can be shipped in an unassembled condition which permits stacking of large numbers of components together and which can then be assembled together just prior to filling the boxes and re-shipping them.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a composite view of the components of the box;

FIGURE 2 is a view of a pair of sections through the side walls and cover members of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the bottom side wall members; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary view of the joindure members of the bottom wall of FIG- URE 3.

In FIG. 1, the number 1 is given to the top cover and 2 to the bottom cover. The top cover has associated with it a top side wall member numbered 3 and the bottom side wall member is numbered 4. Each side wall is split so that it may be spread apart. Along the periphery of each side wall member is an edge plate, which is dis-.

posed perpendicular to the wall member. The top edge plate is 5; the bottom edge plate is 6.

Integral with the inner periphery of the side wall members 3 and 4 are disposed six lugs 7', shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The lugs do not extend to contact the edge plate. They extend to a distance'separated from the edge plate by the thickness of the cover member. The purpose of these lugs is to provide a tight closure between the cover members and the edge plates. The lugs are formed integral with the wall members during the formation of the walls by injection molding. It .Will be seen that the lugs in FIGURE 2 hold the cover members 1 and 2 tightly against the edge plates 5 and 6.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 it will be seenthat there is also the assembly of It will be noted that the ends 9 and 10 are cut away to provide a position or recess for the V-shaped member 8 which I call the seal member.

The box is assembled by halves, by which I mean that the tops are assembled and then the bottoms are assembled. For the purpose of illustration, I shall describe a bottom member.

A bottom side wall 4 is picked up by the person performing the assembly and the bottom cover 2, which may be formed of cardboard or plastic, is inserted inside the wall member 4. This is easily accomplished because the split wall member 4 can be spread to the position shown in FIG. 3. The bottom cover 2 is pushed down into the position such that, as shown in FIG. 2, the lugs 7 hold the cover 2' against the bottom edge plate 6. Then the ends 9 and 10 of the bottom member are drawn together.

As the ends are brought together, firmly gripping the bottom 2 between the lugs7 and the bottom edge plate 6, the seal member 8 is inserted into the cut-away position or recess 11 formed in the ends 9 and 10. The embodiment I. illustrate shows that the recess 11 and the seal member 8 are each about one-half the thickness of the wall member 4.

By means of glue I secure the seal member 8 in the of the box is complete.

A similar construction process is followed to form the top member of the box. It will be noted that when the seal member is in place, the wall formed by the seal member 8' and the ends 9 and 10 is of the same thickness as the remainder of the wall 4', so that it is not ordinarily discernible where the box is joined together.

As changes in the above construction and different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent for is:

A container of the character described comprising a bottom member and a top member, said bottom member including a split plastic side wall provided with an edge plate perpendicular thereto, said top member including a split plastic side wall provided with an .edge plate perpendicular thereto, a plurality of plastic lugs molded integral with and projecting from said side walls, an insertable bottom cover memberand an insertable top cover member, each disposed in its respective side wall between the lugs integral with the side wall and the edge plate of said side wall, a V-shapedrecess formed at the juncture of said side walls and a V-shaped recess in the edge members at the position where said edge members meet, and a plastic seal member in the form of a pair of Vs disposed in and filling both of said recesses to seal and secure the split ends of the side walls together.

. 0 provided a V-shaped member 8 whose purpose is to oin the ends 9 and 10 'of the split side wall member 4.

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,277,773 McGrath Mar. 31, 1942 Schleicher Mar. 17, 1936' 

